The Graduate Public Affairs Council (GPAC) and the Public Affairs Alliance for Communities of Color (PAACC) will present the next installment of the Barbara Jordan Brown Bag series, featuring Allison Supancic from the Regional Foundation Library, on Jan. 27, 2010 at 12:15 p.m. The event will focus on how to capitalize on grant money for research, study abroad and internships.

For more information, visit: http://www.utexas.edu/lbj/calendar/view_event.php?event_id=2366.

The Center for Health and Social Policy Presents ‘At the Crossroads: Pre-Hospital Emergency Health Services & Transportation’ Jan. 29, 2010

The LBJ School’s Center for Health and Social Policy (CHASP) will present “At the Crossroads: Pre-Hospital Emergency Health Services & Transportation” on Jan. 29, 2010 at the Clinical Education Center at Brackenridge at 12:15 p.m. In 2006, the Institute of Medicine released “Emergency Medical Services at The Crossroads,” reporting the state of EMS (ambulance) systems over the 40 years of their formal existence. CHASP will host  Dave Williams, EMS system expert, for a walk-through of the development and evolution of modern ambulance systems. Williams will present his ideas about how EMS services are uniquely positioned at the crossroads of public health, public safety and health care. He will also present often preventable issues that are placing lives and health at risk every day; especially in the case of a disaster or epidemic like the H1N1 virus.

For more information, visit the CHASP upcoming events page at http://www.utexas.edu/lbj/chasp/events/.

(Left to Right) PAACC Co-Chairs Edmund Gordon, Jenaya McGowan, Angela Mora

The Public Affairs Alliance for Communities of Color (PAACC) is a student organization that is dedicated to promoting diversity and enriching the LBJ School community by recruiting underrepresented groups, acting as a support group for first-generation students and by bringing in quality, high-profile guests for special speaking engagements.

Edmund Gordon, a Latin American Studies and Master of Public Affairs (MPAff) dual degree student and one of three PAACC co-chairs, says PAACC’s mission is “to promote awareness and understanding of policy issues affecting communities of color by initiating dialogue, activities, and programs within the LBJ School community. Through these efforts, PAACC strives to contribute to the education of future policymakers.”

Jenaya McGowan, a second-year Master of Global Policy Studies (MGPS) student and PAACC co-chair, says she was recruited to the LBJ School by PAACC members and believes that PAACC offers an important support system to underrepresented students who may feel alienated from the norms and mores of higher education.

“PAACC is a pivotal force in recruiting underrepresented students, thus contributing to a diverse classroom environment representing students of a variety of backgrounds, socio-economic classes, religions, political ideologies and experience,” said McGowan. “While we are called Public Affairs Alliance for Communities of Color, that means all colors. PAACC welcomes all who wish to participate in our programming.”

For more information, visit: http://www.utexas.edu/lbj/news/story/975/

LBJ School Students Participate in Official Day of Service

The Graduate Public Affairs Council (GPAC) Student Life Committee  organized a day of service on Dec. 5th and invited LBJ School students to volunteer at several area non-profit organizations.

Amber Stolp, one of the organizers of the day of service, says she volunteered with Coats for Kids and helped distribute gently new and used coats to young people in the Austin community.

“The parents and kids coming in were genuinely excited about being there,” said Stolp. “Their excitement made the entire experience that much more fulfilling and is definitely something that we would do again in the coming years.”

In addition to Coats for Kids, the organizations that GPAC  selected included the Capital Area Food Bank and the Sustainable Food Center.

“I would guess that we had about 60 people volunteering,” said Molly Ewing, also an organizer of the event.  “Most were LBJ students along with some of their friends and family, as well as a few alumni.   The group that worked with Sustainable Food Center  helped prepare a community garden - the Festival Beach Garden, just north of the river and east of I-35.  I think it will be really nice when they are done.”

According to Stolp, volunteering is an important part of the LBJ School experience.

“I think it’s particularly important for LBJ students to go out into the community to see the kind of real world problems that people experience,” said Stolp. “Sometimes we spend so much time at school and in class we become isolated from the root of the policy problems we should be addressing.”

LBJ School Professor Jacqueline Angel Offers Insight Into the ‘Hispanic Paradox’ in Feature Story Titled ‘Paradox Lost: Sociologists Investigate the Hispanic Health Advantage and Why it Disappears’

When it comes to overall health, the outlook for Hispanics is good. Although the Hispanic population is disproportionately beset by poverty and limited access to quality health coverage and insurance, statistics have long shown that Hispanics live longer, healthier lives than any other group in the United States. Researchers call it the “Hispanic Paradox.”

However, those patterns of good health tend to disappear over time and across generations, according to LBJ School Professor Jacqueline Angel, a sociologist affiliated with the Population Research Center at The University of Texas at Austin.

Jacqueline Angel

“Time and time again, the numbers keep showing Hispanics are living longer,” Angel says. “But the longer they live in the United States, the more likely their health will deteriorate.”

Angel and other University of Texas at Austin researchers are looking at why that happens—and trying to come up with ways to overcome that problem and help the Hispanic population maintain its overall good health and have access to quality health coverage across generations.

With a focus on improving healthcare and overall wellbeing for elderly Hispanics and their families, Angel co-hosted the 2009 International Conference on Aging in the Americas at The University of Texas at Austin this fall. The challenges are especially important as the nation’s Hispanic population, which includes residents descended from Mexico and other Latin American nations, soars.

According to U.S. Census projections, Hispanics are the largest, fastest-growing and youngest minority group in the United States. More than 13 million Hispanic seniors are expected to be living in the United States by the year 2050. Among elderly Hispanics living alone, almost two-thirds are considered poor and one-third live below the poverty level.

For more information, visit: http://www.utexas.edu/features/2009/12/07/hispanic_paradox/.

The Center for Politics and Governance Presents Wallace Jefferson, Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court as Part of the Center’s On-Going Perspectives Series

The LBJ School’s Center for Politics and Governance featured Wallace Jefferson, chief justice of the Texas Supreme Court, on Dec. 4 as  the final guest of their Perspectives Series for the fall 2009 semester.

Evan Smith and Wallace Jefferson

Evan Smith, CPG Fellow, CEO of the Texas Tribune, and host of the Perspectives Series, asked Chief Justice Wallace about his experiences as a black Republican and gauged his opinion on whether judges should be elected or appointed. Chief Justice Wallace also gave a run-down of how the Texas Supreme Court works, something he says is not on most Texan’s radar.

Wallace Jefferson was appointed chief justice Sept. 14, 2004, by Gov. Rick Perry. He succeeded former Chief Justice Thomas R. Phillips as the 26th chief justice in Texas.

For more information, including video of the event and a slideshow, visit: http://www.utexas.edu/lbj/cpg/event_detail.php?id=40

The Center for Health and Social Policy Holds Panel Discussion on the Development and Distribution of the H1N1 Vaccine

The LBJ School’s Center for Health and Social Policy (CHASP) held a panel discussion “Managing the H1N1 Virus: Immunizations Development and Distribution” on Dec. 11.  In addition to CHASP Research Affiliate Benedicte Callan, the panel also included:  Adolfo Valadez, Assistant Commissioner for Prevention and Preparedness Services at the Texas Department of State Health Services; Thomas Erlinger, Director of Research Administration, Infection Prevention and Epidemiology, Seton Hospital Network;  Maria Croyle, University of Texas Pharmacy professor and expert on vaccine development strategies; and  Lauren Meyers, University of Texas professor in Integrative Biology and expert on the transmission dynamics of infectious diseases. The panel addressed questions of the process of responding to emergent public health threats, the development and distribution of immunizations, and how this process impacts the public.

LBJ School Assistant Professor Josh Busby Talks with The University of Texas at Austin’s New “Know” News Site About His Views on Climate Change and the Global Food Supply

LBJ School Assistant Professor Josh Busby, Crook Distinguished Scholar for the Robert S. Strauss Center for International Security and Law and fellow with the RGK Center for Philanthropy and Community Service, answered questions on climate change and the world food supply for the new  University of Texas Know news site, which replaces the old On Campus news section of The University of Texas at Austin’s home page. Busby answers questions about his personal views on climate change, the best ways to slow down or reverse climate change, and how he first got involved in the movement.

For more information, visit: http://www.utexas.edu/know/2009/12/06/busby_josh/

The Center for Politics and Governance Expands Curriculum for Spring 2010

The LBJ School’s Center for Politics and Governance is expanding its curriculum offerings for the spring 2010 semester to include three new courses, U.S. Regulatory Policy, to be taught be Center Director Veronica Vargas Stidvent, Public Affairs and the New Political Media, to be taught by Center Fellow and CEO of the Texas Tribune Evan Smith and Jeff Patterson, Assistant Dean for Administration and Center Research Fellow, and The American Presidency, to be taught by Center Fellow and University of Texas Government Professor Bruce Buchanan.

“Providing innovative curricula that explore a diverse array of political topics and taught by foremost experts in public affairs to provide emerging leaders with a substantive and practical base of knowledge about politics and governance is one of the four pillars of the mission of the Center,” said Stidvent.

For more information on these courses, visit the LBJ School Spring 2010 Course Schedule at http://www.utexas.edu/lbj/students/schedule/2010/2/

Robert L. Hutchings, diplomat in residence at Princeton University and former chairman of the U.S. National Intelligence Council in Washington, D.C., has been appointed dean of the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at The University of Texas at Austin.

Provost Steven W. Leslie said Hutchings’ appointment is effective March 22, 2010.

Robert L. Hutchings

Hutchings will fill a vacancy created by the departure of James B. Steinberg, dean of the LBJ School since 2006, who became U.S. deputy secretary of state in January.  Admiral Bobby R. Inman, the Lyndon B. Johnson Centennial Chair in National Policy, was appointed interim dean.

“It’s essential that our students understand global influences affecting our country and the world so they will be prepared to provide the leadership needed by the next generation,” said William Powers Jr., president of The University of Texas at Austin. “Robert Hutchings brings powerful credentials with his vast experience in key leadership positions in government and higher education that will help our students in the LBJ School of Public Affairs be ready for that global future.”

Hutchings said, ”I am honored and excited by this opportunity to lead the LBJ School and help it continue to advance as a center of excellence and innovation.”

For more information, visit: http://www.utexas.edu/lbj/news/story/978/.

LBJ School’s $19 Million Building Renovation Coming to a Close

HAPPY NEW YEAR FOR LBJ SCHOOL FACULTY, STAFF AND STUDENTS!

LBJ School of Public Affairs will ring in the new year in style, as its faculty and staff are scheduled to begin moving into the newly renovated, state-of-the-art building on The University of Texas at Austin campus on January 5, 2010, in time for the first day of classes on January 19, 2010.

The move represents the final stages of the University’s $19-million-dollar revitalizing “makeover” of the LBJ School that began in 2008. The renovation replaces the tired, 40-year-old interior of the building with a refreshing new facility that better reflects the School’s dynamism. The old building interior was beset by long hallways, underutilized spaces and a worn appearance. The new building utilizes a cluster concept design which increases opportunities for more interaction among faculty, staff and students to create a dynamic energy of discussion, collaboration and collegiality.

In addition, the new building design triples the amount of classroom space; evenly distributes collaborative, administrative and instructional spaces throughout all three floors of the building and integrates the latest in instructional and media technologies to improve external communication and classroom pedagogies.

“This renovation has been a long time in planning, preparation and construction, but I know that everyone within the School and the University community will agree that the wait and the sacrifices have been well worth it,” said Jeffery R. Patterson, assistant dean of administration at the LBJ School. “Anytime you energize the educational facilities, you reinvigorate the faculty, staff and students as well.”

For more information on the LBJ School’s building renovation, visit: http://www.utexas.edu/lbj/building/.

Faculty Authors Honored at Annual Between Covers Event

“Between Covers: An Annual Celebration of Faculty Authors” was created in 2006 as a yearly forum to honor LBJ School of Public Affairs faculty authors and their respective published works.  This year’s celebration was held on November 2 in the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum Brown Room.

For a list of faculty who were honored as well as a description of their works, visit: http://www.utexas.edu/lbj/news/story/949/.

LBJ School Assistant Professor Ben Sasse Named President-Elect of Midland Lutheran College

Benjamin Sasse

The Midland Lutheran College Board of Trustees has named Benjamin Sasse as president-elect of the 126-year old liberal arts college in Fremont, Nebraska. Sasse, who will take office in late spring of 2010, is currently an assistant professor at the LBJ School of Public Affairs, where he serves on the executive committee of the LBJ School’s Center for Health and Social Policy and as a Fellow at the School’s Center for Politics and Governance. Previously, Sasse served as U.S. assistant secretary of health and human services (HHS) where he led policy, planning, and research functions across the Department’s eleven operating divisions.

In making the announcement, Midland Lutheran College Board of Trustees Chairman  Steven Bulloc said, 

”Around the country many schools are turning to leaders with business, government and educational backgrounds, and Dr. Sasse brings a unique set of experiences, along with a passion for our college,

“We congratulate Dr. Sasse on his new position as president of Midland College,” said Admiral Bobby R. Inman, U.S. Navy (Ret.), interim dean of the LBJ School of Public Affairs. “While we regret losing a valued member of the LBJ School community, we are grateful for his many contributions as both a remarkable practitioner and scholar. Dr. Sasse’s achievements in both the academic and professional arenas more than merit such an esteemed appointment.”

For more information, visit: http://www.utexas.edu/lbj/news/story/963/.

LBJ School Senior Lecturer Speaks at The Austin Forum on Science, Technology and Policy

LBJ School Senior Lecturer Gary Chapman was the guest speaker at The Austin Forum on Science, Technology & Society on Nov. 6 Chapman’s talk was titled “The Internet and the Obama Administration - So Far.”

The Austin Forum is a monthly speaker series that hosts distinguished industry professionals and leaders who share their knowledge and experience about the confluence of science, technology and society in the 21st century. The Forum’s speaker series and networking events provide a unique venue in the Austin community for introducing new knowledge and ideas, education, and encouraging collaboration among Forum participants.

For more information, visit: http://www.utexas.edu/lbj/news/story/952/.

The Public Affairs Alliance for Communities of Color (PAACC) hosted their second-annual United Nations of Food event on Nov. 18, a fund-raising event aimed at increasing awareness of diversity in the LBJ School community.

Desiree Ledet, PAACC treasurer, takes donations from students, faculty and staff

“The mission of the United Nations of Food is to celebrate the LBJ School’s rich cultural heritage through fellowship and food,” said Desiree Ledet, second-year MPAff student and PAACC treasurer. “The event provides the school with a unique opportunity to escape the everyday monotony of homework, group projects, and memos and to spend quality time together.”

The proceeds from the United Nations of Food  will go towards starting a new tradition known as the “Spirit of Barbara Jordan Awards” that will be given out for the first time in the spring semester. The event will honor students, faculty and staff that embody the spirit of Barbara Jordan through leadership and service during the academic school year.

LBJ School Students to Volunteer with Local Non-Profits as Part of the Annual LBJ Service Day

The Graduate Public Affairs Council (GPAC) Student Life Committee has organized a day of service Dec. 5th and is inviting LBJ School students to volunteer at several area non-profit organizations.

“LBJ’s Service Day will be a great chance for students to have a positive impact on the larger Austin community,” said Molly Ewing, second-year Master of Public Affairs student.  “It will be also be a fun opportunity for students to work together and build a sense of community within the school.  Service opportunities include a range of issues important to the student body such as sustainable food, health services and hunger.

The organizations that GPAC has selected include: the Capital Area Food Bank whose mission is to nourish hungry people and lead the community in ending hunger; the Sustainable Food Center, dedicated to creating opportunities for individuals to make healthy food choices and to participate in a vibrant local food system; and Coats for Kids, an annual community project that collects and distributes warm winter coats to eligible children teenagers in Central Texas.

For more information or to volunteer, contact Amber Stolp at amberstolp@gmail.com.

UT Graduate School Invites Alums to Share Their Stories

As part of the 100th anniversary celebration of the creation of The University of Texas at Austin Graduate School, the School is launching a campaign to encourage alumni to share a story related to their graduate experience. A hardcover commemorative book with select stories will be released in Fall 2010 through UT Press. Visit the “Share Your Story” web site to participate. Other features of the web site include functions to nominate an alum or vote for your favorite story.

For more information, visit: http://www.utexas.edu/ogs/share/.

LBJ School Alum New Director of HHSC E-Health Coordination

Stephen Palmer (’04), LBJ School alum, is the new director of the Office of E-Health Coordination for the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC), where he is responsible for leading the Office of E-Health Coordination and coordinating the numerous health information technology initiatives that are being implemented within the Health and Human Services system and externally.  Palmer comes to the HHSC from the Office of the Governor, where he was lead policy analyst for the Texas Health Care Policy Council, was the governor’s adviser for HIT, project director of the Texas delegation to the Gulf Coast Health Information Technology Task Force.

Alumni Publishes Article in Jurimetrics: The Journal of the Law, Science and Technology

LBJ School Alum Troy Roberts (’07) was recently published in the Summer 2009, Number 4 issue of Jurimetrics: The Journal of the Law, Science, and Technology for the American Bar Association. His article, titled “On the Radar: Government Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and Their Effect on Public Privacy Interests from the Fourth Amendment Jurisprudence and Legislative Policy Perspectives,” explores 4th Amendment issues, technology and legislative policy recommendations.

Roberts is a former Naval Officer and University of Texas Assistant Professor, and currently a 2010 Juris Doctor candidate at Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University.

Washington Area Alumni Association and the Bush School Alumni to Host Holiday Happy Hour on Dec. 10

The Washington Area LBJ School Alumni Chapter (WALSAC) and alumni of the Bush School of Government and Public Service will host a joint Holiday Happy Hour on Dec. 10 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Ireland’s Four Courts Bar, located at 2501 Wilson Blvd in Arlington, VA. WALSAC is collecting canned goods for the Capital Area Food Bank. To RSVP or for further information, email lbjdcalumni@gmail.com.

LBJ School National Alumni Association launches class representative initiative

The LBJ School National Alumni Association (NAA) is in the process of establishing a network of class representatives (class reps) and has so far recruited over 10 class reps who will serve as liaisons between their LBJ School graduating class and the association . The two primary objectives behind the initiative is to help alumni classmates reconnect with each other and also become more engaged members within the larger LBJ School alumni community. To achieve these goals the NAA will be working closely with the class reps in the following areas:

• Collecting and maintaining up-to-date contact details of alumni.

• Developing class mechanisms for classmates to communicate and collaborate with each other (i.e. email listserve, facebook group, member directory).

• Facilitating classmate interaction through periodic class emails and engagement projects (i.e. reunions, student mentoring, class history - stories, photos).

• Participating in an ongoing dialogue on strategic alumni issues with other class reps and alumni board members through an online alumni leadership forum.

For more information about the alumni class rep initiative please contact: joe.laufer@lbers.org (NAA - Alumni Communications & Engagement)

The Center for Politics and Governance (CPG) will present Wallace Jefferson, Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court on December 4, 2009, at 12:15 p.m. in the Bass Lecture Hall as part of the Center’s Perspectives Series, hosted by Texas Tribune CEO and Center Fellow Evan Smith.

Wallace Jefferson, Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court

Wallace Jefferson was appointed chief justice September 14, 2004, by Gov. Rick Perry. He succeeded former Chief Justice Thomas R. Phillips as the 26th chief justice in Texas.

Chief Justice Jefferson was elected in August 2008 to be first vice president of the Conference of Chief Justices, and is scheduled to lead the organization as its president in 2010. The Conference is an association of chief justices from each of the 50 states and the U.S. territories. As president, Chief Justice Jefferson will be chair of the National Center for State Courts, a policy and resource organization in Williamsburg, Va.

The Perspectives Series is a series of public lectures and broadcasts that provide a forum for public policy practitioners– from government officials and journalists to policy advisers and political strategists– to share ideas and experiences with the next generation of political leaders in a thoughtful and spirited discussion of timely issues facing the electorate.

For more information, visit: http://www.utexas.edu/lbj/cpg/event_detail.php?id=40.

GPAC & PAACC to Present “How to Get Funding!” a Barbara Jordan Brown Bag Featuring Allison Supancic from the Regional Foundation Library

The Graduate Public Affairs Council (GPAC) and the Public Affairs Alliance for Communities of Color (PAACC) will present the next installment of the Barbara Jordan Brown Bag series, featuring Allison Supancic from the Regional Foundation Library on January 27, 2010 at 12:15 p.m. The event will focus on how to capitalize on grant money for research, study abroad and internships.

For more information, visit: http://www.utexas.edu/lbj/calendar/view_event.php?event_id=2366.

The Center for Health and Social Policy to Present ‘At the Crossroads: Pre-Hospital Emergency Health Services & Transportation’ Jan. 29, 2010

The LBJ School’s Center for Health and Social Policy (CHASP) will present “At the Crossroads: Pre-Hospital Emergency Health Services & Transportation” on Jan. 29, 2010 at the Clinical Education Center at Brackenridge at 12:15 p.m. In 2006, the Institute of Medicine released “Emergency Medical Services at The Crossroads,” reporting the state of EMS (ambulance) systems over the 40 years of their formal existence. CHASP will host  Dave Williams, EMS system expert, for a walk-through of the development and evolution of modern ambulance systems and present his ideas about how EMS services are uniquely positioned at the crossroads of public health, public safety and health care. He will also present often preventable issues that are placing lives and health at risk every day; especially in the case of a disaster or epidemic like the H1N1 virus.

For more information, visit the CHASP upcoming events page at http://www.utexas.edu/lbj/chasp/events/.

Robert S. Strauss Center for International Security and Law awarded $7.6 million Department of Defense grant

Program will study the effects of climate change on political stability in Africa

The Robert S. Strauss Center for International Security and Law at The University of Texas at Austin, in collaboration with the LBJ School of Public Affairs, has been awarded a $7.6 million grant by the U. S. Department of Defense. The grant is the largest single award dedicated to social science research The University of Texas at Austin has received.

The five-year grant will fund the Strauss Center’s Program on Climate Change and African Political Stability (CCAPS), which will identify how climate change could trigger disasters in Africa that undermine political stability. The program will explore strategies for building African state capacity and assess global aid efforts while developing partnerships with the Africa policy community in the United States, Africa and elsewhere.

“With this prestigious Department of Defense grant, the Strauss Center is producing exactly the kind of transformative research for which it was created, building on our top academic programs,” said University of Texas President William Powers. “The Strauss Center is helping to put UT at the vanguard of addressing global challenges and bringing the ideas and innovation of Texas to the rest of the world.”

“Bringing multi-disciplinary knowledge together to produce cutting-edge, policy-relevant research is what the Strauss Center is all about,” said Francis J. Gavin, Strauss Center Director and the grant’s principal investigator. “We are excited to be able to leverage the extraordinary talents of the University of Texas and our research team to bring a fresh analytical perspective and original thinking to an emerging global issue.”

For more information, visit: http://www.robertstrausscenter.org/news/article/54.

Strauss Center to Become New Home for the Next Generation Project: U.S. Global Policy and the Future of International Institutions

The Robert S. Strauss Center for International Security and Law at The University of Texas at Austin, in collaboration with the LBJ School of Public Affairs,  has announced that it will become the new base of operations for the Next Generation Project: U. S. Global Policy and the Future of International Institutions, an ambitious, nonpartisan, multiyear initiative started by The American Assembly at Columbia University.

Frank Gavin

Strauss Center Governing Board member and LBJ School of Public Affairs Interim Dean Admiral Bobby R. Inman, USN (Ret.), chaired the Next Generation Project’s senior advisory council.  “The Next Generation Project was a great success for The American Assembly.  It will have even greater impact in its relationship with The University of Texas and the Strauss Center,” he said.

Francis J. Gavin, Tom Slick Professor of International Affairs at the LBJ School of Public Affairs, is Director of the Strauss Center and served as Project Director for the Next Generation Project.

“The Next Generation Project will be an unparalleled resource for Texas as it integrates into a rapidly changing global landscape,” said Gavin.  “With this effort, we hope to bring the world to Texas and Texas to the world.”

The Next Generation Project was initiated in 2005 under the leadership of Richard Fisher, CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, who at that time served as Chairman of The American Assembly.  It was based on the premise that U. S. foreign policy lacked focus and that the institutions established during the Cold War era were no longer meeting the global challenges of the new century.

LBJ School Alumni, Faculty and Staff Play Key Roles in Working to Solve Global Challenges

Three LBJ School alumni are Next Generation Project fellows and participated in previous Project Assemblies.

Josh Busby

Stacey Abrams (’98), a rising star in the Georgia legislature, is a National Fellow and Sara Meadows (2003) and Wesley Wilson (’01) are Regional Fellows. Joshua W. Busby, assistant professor at the LBJ School, is a member of the Project’s leadership team, serving as both a deputy director and discussion leader.

Catherine Weaver

In addition, Catherine Weaver, LBJ School Assistant Professor and Distinguished Scholar and Research Coordinator with the Strauss Center, is also involved in the project. Other UT-Austin participants include Michael E. Webber, assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and a research fellow at the Strauss Center, and Terri Givens, associate professor in the Government Department.

For more information, visit: http://www.utexas.edu/lbj/news/story/959/

Center for Politics and Governance Presents Bill White, Mayor of the City of Houston, as a Part of the Center’s On-Going Perspectives Series.

Evan Smith, CEO of the Texas Tribune and CPG Center Fellow, and Bill White, Mayor of the City of Houston

The Center for Politics and Governance (CPG) hosted Bill White, the Mayor of the City of Houston, on Friday, Nov. 20 as part of their on-going Perspectives Series hosted by CEO of the Texas Tribune and Center Fellow Evan Smith.

Bill White is now in his third term as Mayor. Previously he served as Deputy Secretary of Energy of the United States, where he helped diversify national energy supplies and saved taxpayers billions of dollars with management reforms. Earlier in his career, he helped build and manage one of the nation’s most successful law firms.

For more information, including photos of video of the event, visit: http://www.utexas.edu/lbj/cpg/event_detail.php?id=38.

Center for Politics and Governance Presents 2009 Fall Forum on Money and Politics; Sponsors Comprehensive Poll on Public Perceptions of Money and Politics

Poll Reveals that 51% think the U.S. is on the wrong track

The LBJ School’s Center for Politics and Governance sponsored and initiated a comprehensive national poll conducted by The University of Texas at Austin Department of Government on public perception of the relationship between money and politics. The results of the poll were released during the first panel discussion on the 2009 Fall Forum on Money and Politics on Nov.16.

“This poll is one of the most comprehensive sets of data on public perceptions on issues of money and politics, campaign finance and corruption that has ever been compiled,” said Veronica Vargas Stidvent, director of the Center for Politics and Governance. “The results of this poll are even more thought-provoking in light of the ongoing Supreme Court case Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, which has the potential to change the framework of campaign finance regulation.”

Government Professors Daron Shaw and Brian Roberts with Karen Lundquist, senior attorney and deputy ethics adviser for the UT System

Daron Shaw, a government professor at the University of Texas at Austin, presented the findings of the poll which pulled from a representative sample of 2,100 people across the United States.

According to the poll, 51 percent of people believe the country is on the wrong track.

“The pessimism that we have seen expressed in the national surveys over the past 15 months continues,” said Shaw, who oversaw the polling along with  Brian Roberts, government professor, and Texas Politics Project Director Jim Henson. “Americans are very concerned about the economy and unemployment, but also express concern about corruption and the efficacy of the political system.”

Some of the poll’s findings on respondents’ view of money in politics include:

• Fifty-eight percent of respondents say the source of a candidate’s campaign contributions are a factor in how they vote, compared to 29 percent who say the amount a candidate raises is a factor

• Respondents said they would be more likely to vote for a hypothetical U.S. Senate candidate if he or she received campaign contributions primarily from friends and acquaintances compared to the tobacco industry or trial attorneys. But the amount of money the candidate raised had no impact on voter support.

• The three biggest factors influencing Congress member’s votes are campaign contributors, party affiliation and lobbyists, according to respondents who said constituents’ concerns had the least amount of influence.

For more information, visit: http://www.utexas.edu/lbj/news/story/964/.

LBJ School Professor and Director of the Center for Ethical Leadership Howard Prince Receives Lifetime Achievement Award from Society for Military Psychology of the American Psychology Association

Decorated Vietnam Veteran and Former West Point Psychologist Heralded as Tireless Advocate of Progressive Military Reform Spanning Four Decades

Howard Prince

Howard Prince, LBJ School of Public Affairs Clinical Professor and Director of the School’s Center for Ethical Leadership, was awarded the John C. Flanagan Lifetime Achievement Award by Division 19, the Society for Military Psychology, of the American Psychological Association (APA) at the APA’s Annual Convention in Toronto. The Flanagan Award is presented annually to a deserving psychologist whose lifework has significantly advanced the understanding of military psychology in America through excellence in research, service, product development or administration.

Prince was selected to receive the Flanagan Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of: (1) his decades-long body of academic research in military psychology, (2) his transformative influence on leader development in the post-Vietnam American Army, (3) his tireless advocacy on behalf of active duty soldiers and veterans as a retired general officer.

As the President of the American Psychological Association, Dr. James Bray, said: “Howard Prince’s service to the nation and his steady and continuous advancement of military psychology are simply superlative.  Through his lifetime of service he has given the nation an immeasurable gift, and the American Psychological Association is delighted that Division 19 chose to honor General Prince with the Flanagan Award for Lifetime Achievement.”

“I’m especially honored to receive this award from an organization made up of fellow military psychologists, all dedicated to the psychological well-being of our soldiers and improving those systems designed to support them,” said Prince.  “The recent tragedy that took place at Fort Hood serves to reinforce the need for heightened vigilance in the area of psychological evaluation, training and support for our men and women serving in the military.  I commend the military for the ongoing efforts to support and assist those affected by the shootings in dealing with the psychological ramifications of such an attack.”

“Our soldiers who have given so much and who ask so little in return deserve the best quality mental health care and support that we can provide,” continued Prince.  “As a combat veteran severely wounded in Vietnam, I can attest that the mental health care system in today’s Army is dramatically improved from the care our wounded warriors received in the early 1970s.  The fact that a mental health caregiver, a soldier whose duty it was to provide support and assistance to other soldiers, perpetrated these shootings adds another layer of searing grief to this profoundly tragic event.”

Howard Prince as a company commander in February of 1968 near Hue during TET.

Howard Prince earned his doctorate from the University of Texas at Austin’s psychology department in 1975 and then departed for fifteen years at West Point where he became the founding Department Head of the Department of Behavioral Sciences and Leadership, now a flagship department of the U.S. Military Academy.  Following his retirement from active military duty in 1990, he became the founding dean of the University of Richmond’s Jepson School of Leadership Studies, where he served until his return to Austin in 1997. Prince became the director of the Center for Ethical Leadership in the LBJ School of Public Affairs at UT Austin in 1999.

For more information, visit: http://www.utexas.edu/lbj/news/story/968/

The Center for Health and Social Policy Presents ‘NCP Choices: Workforce Development to Improve Child Support’

The LBJ School’s Center for Health and Social Policy presented “NCP Choices: Workforce Development to Improve Child Support” on November 20 featuring Daniel Schroeder of the Ray Marshall Center for the Study of Human Resources. Dr. Schroeder present findings from his evaluation of the NCP Choices Program that provides employment services linked to enhanced child support monitoring to low-income non-custodial parents (NCPs) who have fallen behind on their child support payments.

Voting Open for the RGK Center’s Dell Social Innovation Competition

The deadline to submit an idea to the RGK Center for Philanthropy and Community Service isn’t until March 1, 2010, but voting on ideas that have already been submitted is open. The Dell Social Innovation Competition is an annual competition that operates like a business-plan competition, awarding seed funding directly to the student-led venture that best meets the judges’ criteria. The team or individual with the most ingenious entrepreneurial idea to change the world wins the grand prize of $50,000 in seed funding to launch or expand their idea.

To submit an idea, to vote on ideas, or to view previous years’ winners, visit: http://www.dellsocialinnovationcompetition.com/apex/HowItWorks

Several members of the LBJ School’s Ray Marshall Center for the Study of Human Resources presented research at  the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management Conference (APPAM), which took place Nov. 6 through Nov. 8 in Los Angeles, California.

On Nov. 5, Deanna Schexnayder, associate director and research scientist with the Ray Marshall Center,  presented a paper she co-authored with Daniel G. Schroeder, research associate with the Center, titled “The Relationship of Local Child Care Policies to Child Care Facility Turnover.” That same day,  Schroeder discussed his piece on “NCP Choices: Workforce Development for NonCustodial Parents.”

On Nov. 6, Schexnayder also served as a panelist at a round-table discussion on “The Opportunities and Challenges of Integrating Survey and Administrative Data in Policy Analysis.” Later that day, Christopher T. King, director and senior research scientist for the Center, presented a paper he co-authored with Tara Carter Smith, social science research associate, and Schroeder, titled “Evaluating Local Workforce Investments: The Case of Austin, Texas.”

The Robert S .Strauss Center for International Security and Law Presents Admiral James G. Stavridis, Supreme Allied Commander, Europe, and Commander, U.S. European Command

Frank Gavin, Director of the Robert S. Strauss Center for International Security and Law at The University of Texas at Austin, in collaboration with the LBJ School of Public Affair, welcomed Admiral James G. Stavridis, Supreme Allied Commander, Europe and Commander, United States European Command on Nov. 6, 2009 to

Admiral James Stavridis

present his talk on the role of Europe and NATO in the current international security environment.

Admiral Stavridis spoke to a full house at the LBJ Library Atrium on the history, linkages, challenges and opportunities that are shaping the new strategic concept of security in the 21st century. He described the role of NATO in the context of a demographic, economic and military bridge that connects the U.S. and Europe. His presentation included discussions of socio-economic and political issues in Russia, Kosovo, Turkey, Afghanistan and Israel which define global security needs. In today’s interconnected world, he said, NATO should play the role of a global actor in the realm of humanitarian assistance and economic cooperation. Admiral Stavridis emphasized the need for an interagency, international, private and public collaboration to deal with what he called the “brain-on-brain warfare” of the 21st century. He further highlighted the immense opportunities information and communication technology provide in the exchange of ideas and even encouraged the audience to use web applications including Facebook to share good practices around the world. His presentation concluded with a picture of a rheostat depicting the crucial balance between hard and soft power in responding to today’s security issues.

For more information, visit: http://www.robertstrausscenter.org/events/view/106.

The Robert S. Strauss Center for International Security and Law Presents Danial Drezner for “Bad Debts: Assessing China’s Financial Influence in Great Power Politics”

The Robert S. Strauss Center for International Security and Law at The University of Texas at  Austin, in collaboration with the LBJ School of Public Affairs, presented Danial Drezner, Professor of International

David Drezner

Politics at The Fletcher School, Tufts University,  on Nov. 19 as part of the Strauss Center’s International Security Speaker Series (ISSS). The ISSS features leading scholars and policy practitioners discussing challenges and solutions for meeting the security demands of the modern world.

Drezner’s talk, “Bad Debts: Assessing China’s Influence in Great Power Politics,” focused on the growing concerns about U.S. dependence on China and other authoritarian capitalist states as a source of credit to fund its trade and budget deficits.  Drezner discussed the security implications of China’s creditor status.   Drezner argued that the power of credit has been exaggerated in policy circles.

Drezner is a senior editor at The National Interest. Drezner has received fellowships from the German Marshall Fund of the United States, the Council on Foreign Relations, and Harvard University. He is the author of “All Politics is Global: Explaining International Regulatory Regimes” (Princeton University Press, 2007), which explores how and when regulatory standards are coordinated across borders in an era of globalization.  Drezner writes a widely read foreign affairs blog at http://drezner.foreignpolicy.com.

LBJ School Staff Member Lana Morris Given University of Texas Friar Society Tany Norwood Excellence Award

LBJ School staff member Lana Morris was selected by The University of Texas Friar Society to receive the Tany Norwood Excellence Award. This distinction honors staff members who make outstanding contributions to student life.

Lana was selected for this award in recognition of her dedication and commitment to student service in her role as Career and Internship Coordinator with the Office of Student and Alumni Programs.

A representative of the Friar Society surprised Lana with her award on October 29th. Some lucky students and staff were in on the secret and got to witness Lana receiving the award.

Lana Morris receiving her award.

“I am truly honored and humbled by this award,” said Morris. “The most meaningful part is that it was initiated by the students I’m committed to serve and who, along with alumni, are the inspiration for my work.    Thank you to all who have expressed their kind congratulations.  I look forward to continuing to teach, support, and encourage students and alumni to achieve their personal and professional goals.”

The Friar Society was founded in 1911 and is the oldest  honor society at the University of Texas at Austin.

For more information about the Friar Society, please see their website: www.friarsociety.org

The Center for Politics and Governance (CPG) at the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs announced on Oct. 9 a strategic partnership with The Texas Tribune, a new non-profit, nonpartisan public media organization headquartered in Austin, Texas.  CPG and the Tribune will collaborate on a number of projects, including a lecture series, events and student internships.

“This is an exciting opportunity for the LBJ School and the University, as this partnership will bring together two organizations committed to improving the public debate during one of the most transformative movements in public communication,” said Admiral B. R. Inman, Interim Dean of the LBJ School.  “Digital communication has revolutionized how we learn about world events and how policymakers hear from constituents around the globe.   The partnership will bring together two organizations committed to improving the quality of the public debate.”

Evan Smith, CEO and Editor in Chief of the Tribune, has been named a Center for Politics and Governance Fellow and has been invited by the LBJ School to teach beginning in the Spring, 2010.  Plans call for Smith to teach a course on the evolution and impact of new media, which will explore the changing role of the media in covering public policy.

Tribune CEO and Center Fellow Evan Smith with Karen Tumulty, TIME magazine political correspondent, during the Oct. 9 installment of the CPG Perspectives series

Additionally, Smith has assumed host duties for the CPG Perspectives series, which brings elected officials, authors and policy makers to the University to discuss important policy issues and their experiences in developing and implementing those policies. The Oct. 9 installment featured Karen Tumulty, TIME magazine political correspondent, who has written or co-written three dozen cover stories for the magazine and posts several times a day on TIME.com.

Smith asked Tumulty about her views on blogging and it’s affect on mainstream journalism, her opinion on President Obama’s Nobel Peace Prize, and who she thinks will be the next Republican presidential nominee.  For an event wrap-up, including live tweets from audience members, visit: http://www.utexas.edu/lbj/cpg/event_detail.php?id=34.

For more information on the CPG/Texas Tribune partnership, visit: http://www.utexas.edu/lbj/cpg/news_detail.php?id=10

LBJ School’s RGK Center and Dell Invite College Students Worldwide to Help Change the World

The RGK Center for Philanthropy and Community Service in the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at The University of Texas at Austin and Dell are seeking undergraduate and graduate students from universities and colleges around the world to share their ideas for making the world a better place.

Students winning the grand prize in the 2010 Dell Social Innovation Competition will receive $50,000 to turn their ideas into a new business or nonprofit with a mission to change lives for the better.

The RGK Center introduced the competition in 2006 to engage students in social entrepreneurship, encouraging the next generation of leaders to dream up solutions to today’s most pressing issues.

“The competition is designed to spark the enthusiasm and idealism that exists across college and university campuses,” said Peter Frumkin, director of the RGK Center in the LBJ School of Public Affairs. “By channeling young people’s impulses to change the world in a positive direction, we think this project can generate a large number of innovative solutions to longstanding public problems.”

With Dell as its sponsor, the Social Innovation Competition expanded its reach to a worldwide audience of students in 2009. Over 500 students from 30 countries entered their solutions to deal with poverty, healthcare, access to potable water, and a host of important social issues.

For more information, visit: http://www.dellsocialinnovationcompetition.com/

LBJ School of Public Affairs Professor Ben Sasse Joins Center for Politics and Governance As Fellow

LBJ School Professor Benjamin Sasse has officially joined the LBJ School’s Center for Politics and Governance (CPG) as a Center for Politics and Governance Fellow.  Sasse, who recently served as Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), will teach a number of courses for the Center and help develop new curriculum that support four initiatives of the Center that include effective governance, new media in politics, state politics and policy and public affairs communication.

Benjamin Sasse

“We are so pleased to welcome Professor Sasse to the Center,” said Veronica Vargas Stidvent, the Center’s director.  “He will spearhead our curriculum and provide a unique expertise to enhance our programming.  With his public service experience and extensive background in health care policy, he can directly contribute to the current healthcare discussion.”

“I am delighted to be associated with the Center for Politics and Governance,” said Sasse. “We need more interdisciplinary centers that don’t allow policy ideal discussions to become so abstract that political feasibility is forgotten. Similarly, we need more conversations about politics that remember that power is a means to other ends, rather than a sufficient goal itself. CPG is exactly that kind of vibrant, special place.”

For more information, visit: http://www.utexas.edu/lbj/cpg/news_detail.php?id=9

LBJ Policy Experts Inform State, National and International Health/Health Care Dialogue

The LBJ School’s Center for the Health and Social Policy Co-Presents  “Advancing the Quality of Health Care in Texas,” a Half-Day Symposium; LBJ School Professor David Warner Moderates Health Care Reform Panel

“Advancing the Quality of Care” in Texas was a half day symposium co-sponsored by The University of Texas System and The Brookings Institution, in collaboration with the LBJ School’s Center for Health and Social Policy (CHASP) at the University of Texas at Austin , The James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy at Rice University, The Code Red Task Force.

This symposium, which featured LBJ School Professor David Warner as a moderator for the panel “Better Care and Health Care Reform,”  took place on October 1, 2009 in Austin, Texas, included three panel discussions. The first panel of the day discussed specific health care delivery models for improving integrated high quality care. The second panel included several employers discussing how to pay for cost effective high quality care. The third panel of the day focused on better care and health reform. The emphasis in this panel was policy changes required as part of health care reform in order to accomplish the overall goals of cost effective high quality care.

For more information, visit: http://www.utsystem.edu/ohr/AQHCT/.

Center for Health and Social Policy Presents Policy Panel “Major Health and Human Services Legislation from the 81st Texas Legislature”

The Center for Health and Social Policy presented the policy panel on “Major Health and Human Services Legislation from the 81st Texas Legislature” on September 25, 2009. This panel of policy experts discussed critical health and human services legislation from the the most recent Texas legislative session. Featured speakers included Eva De Luna Castro, Senior Budget Analyst for the Center for Public Policy Priorities; Stephen Palmer, Texas Health Care Policy Council for the Office of Gov. Rick Perry; and Heather Vasek from Long-Term Care expert with Delisi Communications.

For more information, visit: http://www.utexas.edu/lbj/chasp/events/.

LBJ School Health Policy Experts Inform Debate on Health Care Reform in Multiple Forums

From distilling the key ideas behind the Obama Administration’s proposed health care plan to urging President Obama to ease public fear by abandoning rhetoric in favor of addressing common sense questions, LBJ School health policy experts Jacqueline Angel, David Warner, Edwin Dorn, and Ben Sasse are informing the public and offering their opinions on the heated health care debate.

For more information, visit: http://www.utexas.edu/lbj/news/story/907/.